Postpurchase implications of low price guarantees and consequences of low price guarantee default

Past research on consumer perceptions related to Low Price Guarantees (LPG) have primarily investigated effects of LPG on consumer search intentions, their perception of offer value and their purchase intentions. The present research had two major objectives: (i) to study the probable effect of LPG on consumers\u27 intentions to search after the purchase and the boundary conditions of such effects; (ii) to study probable consequences of default of an LPG, that is, postpurchase discovery of lower prices in the marketplace despite promise to the contrary. It was shown that while LPG is likely to discourage prepurchase search it might encourage postpurchase search, subject to the level of penalty and consumer value and price consciousness. With respect to an LPG default, factors such as the location of the default ( within store versus between store ), the size of the default (the difference between the paid price and the later discovered lower price) and the time of the default (the period of time that elapsed between purchase and discovery of a lower price) are important and their effects on such consumer perceptions as attitude toward the retailer, perceived retailer credibility and repurchase intention were investigated subject to suitable boundary conditions. Two experiments were conducted to test proposed hypotheses. Theoretical and managerial contributions of the findings are discussed and suggestions for possible future research are provided

A study on geospatial technology for detecting and mapping of Solenopsis mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in cotton crop

Detection of crop stress is one of the major applications of remote sensing in agriculture. Many researchers have confirmed the ability of remote sensing techniques for detection of pest/disease on cotton. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relation between the mealybug severity and remote sensing indices and development of a model for mapping of mealybug damage using remote sensing indices. The mealybug-infested cotton crop had a significantly lower reflectance (33%) in the near infrared region and higher (14%) in the visible range of the spectrum when compared with the non-infested cotton crop having near infrared and visible region reflectance of 48 % and 9% respectively. Multiple Linear regression analysis showed that there were varying relationships between mealybug severity and spectral vegetation indices, with coefficients of determination (r2) ranging from 0.63 to0.31. Model developed in this study for the mealybug damage assessment in cotton crop yielded significant relationship (r2=0.863) and was applied on satellite data of 21st September 2009 which revealed high severity of mealybug and it was low on 24th September 2010 which confirmed the significance of the model and can be used in the identification of mealybug infested cotton zones. These results indicate that remote sensing data have the potential to distinguish damage by mealybug and quantify its abundance in cotton

Science with the Daksha High Energy Transients Mission

We present the science case for the proposed Daksha high energy transients mission. Daksha will comprise of two satellites covering the entire sky from 1~keV to $>1$~MeV. The primary objectives of the mission are to discover and characterize electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave source; and to study Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). Daksha is a versatile all-sky monitor that can address a wide variety of science cases. With its broadband spectral response, high sensitivity, and continuous all-sky coverage, it will discover fainter and rarer sources than any other existing or proposed mission. Daksha can make key strides in GRB research with polarization studies, prompt soft spectroscopy, and fine time-resolved spectral studies. Daksha will provide continuous monitoring of X-ray pulsars. It will detect magnetar outbursts and high energy counterparts to Fast Radio Bursts. Using Earth occultation to measure source fluxes, the two satellites together will obtain daily flux measurements of bright hard X-ray sources including active galactic nuclei, X-ray binaries, and slow transients like Novae. Correlation studies between the two satellites can be used to probe primordial black holes through lensing. Daksha will have a set of detectors continuously pointing towards the Sun, providing excellent hard X-ray monitoring data. Closer to home, the high sensitivity and time resolution of Daksha can be leveraged for the characterization of Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to ApJ. More details about the mission at https://www.dakshasat.in

Consumer responses to offline and online low price signals: The role of cognitive elaboration

Low price signals (LPS), pricing tools where retailers promise to match or beat competitors' prices, have been increasingly popular in offline and online markets. We compare consumer evaluation of offline and online LPS as a function of how deeply they process the signals. Results of an experiment indicate that regardless of retail media consumers accept an LPS as an indicator of low price when they do not elaborate sufficiently on the signal. However, at high levels of elaboration, consumers challenge the assumptions underlying their acceptance of the signal at lower levels of elaboration whereby they become more skeptical of an online signal than an offline signal resulting in lower efficacy of the former. Implications of these findings for consumer vulnerability to false low price signaling are discussed along with other theoretical and managerial implications. Additionally, directions for future research are provided.Low price signal Low Price Guarantee Price-matching guarantee Signaling Cognitive elaboration

Comparative Safety Evaluation of SCATS and Pre-Timed Control System

Since 1992, traffic signals in Oakland County and a portion of Macomb and Wayne Counties of Michigan have been converted to the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS). County traffic engineers have been adjusting various SCATS parameters to improve its effectiveness in terms of delay, traffic flow, queue length, and crash and injury occurrences. In 2008, a study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the SCATS system on M-59, between Pontiac Lake East to Pontiac lake West in Waterford Township, Michigan, in terms of delay, flow, queue length and Fuel consumption and Emission. As a part of this study various performance parameters of SCATS system were compared with the Pre-timed signal system. Performance of the SCATS system was found to be superior for several of the performance measures during each Peak period. When compared to Pre-Timed signal, installation and maintenance cost of SCATS system is almost two times greater. Therefore, there is a need to determine the added related benefits of SCATS system. In this context, determination of crash benefit of SCATS can play a significant role. If we can combine congestion and crash related benefits, then it is most likely combined benefits will overweigh the cost. Crash data from 1999 to 2008 of two corridors, one controlled by the SCATS and other by the Pre-timed signal system were examined to determine the effectiveness of SCATS system. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of SCATS signal system, intersections as well as segment crash data before and after the installation of SCATS signal were compared. In addition, a series of statistical tests were performed to compare safety performance of SCATS and pre-timed signal systems. It was observed that there was shift in severity types A and B to C, which is noteworthy. However, statistical tests were not able to identify any difference of significant at 95 percent confidence level. Finally, cost related information for both SCATS as well as pre-timed was also computed and compared

Effectiveness of monetary discounts: comparing quantity scarcity and time restriction

Purpose: This study aims to examine whether adding a quantity scarcity message to a monetary discount helps to improve consumers’ offer-related perceptions and intentions, and how the effectiveness of that message compares with adding time restriction to the offer. Design/methodology/approach: Two experiments, where participants evaluated retail ads and responded to relevant measures, were conducted in two country markets. Findings: Adding either a quantity scarcity message or time restriction to a monetary discount increases the potency of a retail offer. Further, when an offer ad emphasizes product and price-related cues in a balanced manner, time restriction results in more favorable consumer perceptions than scarcity. However, this difference in the messages’ efficacy disappears when the offer strongly emphasizes price-related cues. Research limitations/implications: The US market sample is more homogeneous than the Indian one. Discounts were presented in terms of advertised reference prices; further research with other discount formats is desirable. Practical implications: Understanding the relative efficacy of quantity scarcity message and time restriction in discounted retail offers can give managers flexibility in the use of these tools. Originality/value: This paper addresses scholars’ call for theory-grounded research that provides guidance to retailers on the use of sales promotional tools